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New York Times (April 21)

2014/ 04/ 22 by jd in Global News

President Obama’s trip should provide opportunity to explain that America’s strategic tilt toward Asia does not mean the U.S. will abandon the rest of the world. “A volatile and chaotic world will continue to demand America’s attention, but Asia is the future and warrants being a top priority.”

 

Euromoney (April Issue)

2014/ 04/ 21 by jd in Global News

“Blackouts have become so widespread on the island of Mindanao that social-media users have taken to calling the energy secretary the secretary of darkness.” This highlights the need for infrastructure, not just in the Philippines, but throughout much of ASEAN where the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimates “infrastructure projects will require sustained annual investment of approximately $60 billion a year to 2020.” Banking giant HSBC believes “demand in Asia as a whole might reach $11.5 trillion by 2030.”

 

The Economist (April 19)

2014/ 04/ 20 by jd in Global News

Coal is a “cheap, ubiquitous and flexible fuel” that will be “the fuel of the future, unfortunately.” Although it remains very dirty, coal “offers the best chance for poor countries wanting to get rich” and even for some rich countries, like Japan and Germany, seeking nuclear alternatives.

 

Washington Post (April 17)

2014/ 04/ 19 by jd in Global News

“Unlike the planners of D-Day or Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Russians organizing the invasion of Ukraine don’t need an immediate victory. They have flexible goals, and they are prepared to adjust their strategy depending on how much resistance they encounter.” In the short term, they are entirely flexible. “In the long term, Russia clearly hopes to annex eastern and southern Ukraine.”

 

Institutional Investor (April 17)

2014/ 04/ 18 by jd in Global News

“Asean countries are resisting today’s turbulence in emerging markets thanks to reforms taken in the wake of the late ‘90s crisis.” To be sure there are concerns, such as China’s slow down, “yet most investors believe the positives outweigh the potential negatives across most of the region.” This confidence is symbolized by Japanese foreign direct investment. “According to Singapore’s DBS Bank, Japan increased its FDI in Asia by $40 billion in 2013, and fully 42 percent of the country’s FDI is now in Southeast Asia—Considerably more than in China.”

 

Wall Street Journal (April 15)

2014/ 04/ 17 by jd in Global News

“Japan still firmly leads the world in aging.” Over a quarter (25.1%) of Japan’s population is now over 65. The next grayest countries are Germany and Italy with roughly 21% over 65.

 

4/16 Issue

2014/ 04/ 16 by jd in IRCWeekly

The UK’s Gordon Brown is not just blowing his own horn but America’s as well. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is confident that both the UK and U.S. economies are recovering and that fears of secular stagnation are exaggerated.

As the economies of India and China continue to grow, albeit more slowly, both countries seek new energy sources. Both are investing in research into the use of thorium reactors, with plans for at least one working prototype next year. Thorium is tricky, the U.S. axed its research program in the 1970s, but the Economist believes it promises major benefits in terms of abundance and safety.

To end its destabilizing activities, the Financial Times contends Europe must be willing to hit the Russian economy where it hurts. This may also inflict some pain in Europe, but strong economic consequences are the most effective tool to persuade Putin.

The Los Angeles Times warns that the pervasive Heartbleed bug should remind us that it’s not just about the geeks writing code. Websites and service providers need to be vigilant that patches and upgrades are installed on a timely basis so their systems remain secure for users.

The European Central Bank is making progress in eliminating “fudges” to strengthen the regulatory framework, according to Euromoney. On the other hand, the Chicago Tribune believes John Kerry should quit trying to make progress in peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The talks are collapsing because neither party is motivated to overcome their divisions.

And the New York Times urges the new Mayor Bill de Blasio to back off on his plans to rid the city of horse-drawn carriages. Seeing that the horses are well treated is admirable. Eliminating this distinctive feature from the city is not. 

As always, links are provided to the original source so you can get further detail, but please note these are frequently updated and links that were valid at publication may later be broken. To see the media’s takes on these and other developments from around the globe, you can browse Global News highlights below and also at http://www.irken.jp/gn/.

 

Financial Times (April 15)

2014/ 04/ 16 by jd in Global News

“Putin’s insidious tactics in Ukraine” should convince EU leaders of the need to spell out the consequences of further incursion. “Russia’s Achilles heel throughout this crisis has been its economy. If Mr Putin persists in his attempt to destabilise Ukraine, European leaders need to be prepared to apply punishment – even if this means inflicting some pain on their own economies.”

 

New York Times (April 14)

2014/ 04/ 15 by jd in Global News

New York’s new Mayor Bill de Blasio has pledged to abolish horse-drawn carriages. Protecting the animals is exemplary, eliminating them foolhardy. “Carriage horses have a place in New York, a working, workaday city. The de Blasio administration should make every effort to ensure that they are safe and protected. They do not need to be banished.”

 

Los Angeles Times (April 13)

2014/ 04/ 14 by jd in Global News

“The upside of the Heartbleed bug is that it reminds the world of the need not just for coders to plug the security holes in their software but for websites and services to stay on top of the changes.”

 

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